Rick O'Brien: Rain wreaking havoc with baseball schedules

John Duffy, Germantown Academy's second-year head baseball coach, is no stranger to nasty spring weather. And he's dealt with more than just the persistent rain that wiped out yesterday's slate of games and could do the same today.

In his days as an assistant coach at Concordia College, in Moorhead, Minn., Duffy and the Cobbers also coped with un-baseball-like cold temperatures, frost and snow. "One year, we didn't get out on the field until April 23," he said.

Including yesterday's scheduled Inter-Academic League showdown at Malvern Prep, the Patriots, The Inquirer's No. 1-ranked area team, have been rained out five times.

"It's the nature of the beast in the Northeast," said Duffy, who pitched at the University of Richmond. "Everybody is in the same boat. There's not much you can do about it."

Because the rain was expected to continue today and again force teams indoors, Duffy gave his players off yesterday.

When rain does pelt Southeastern Pennsylvania and force the cancellation of games or outdoor practices, the Patriots are fortunate to have a field house, complete with a 75- to 80-foot batting cage that drops from the ceiling, to keep their pitching, hitting and fielding skills as sharp as possible.

Said Duffy, who coached at La Salle University before going to GA: "We can get in a pretty good workout in an hour and a half."

At Frankford, second-year coach Juan Namnun yesterday watched his players go through baseball drills at the school's third-floor gym. It has a batting cage, a couple of pitching mounds, and enough space to field ground balls.

The Pioneers have had three games postponed this season because of rain. Yesterday's scheduled home contest against Public League Division A rival GAMP was moved to Friday.

"This year has been a nightmare," Namnun said. "Last season, I think we had only one rainout. This year, it's almost like Mother Nature is angry with us."

Because of the rain, area teams will soon have to endure weeks that include three or four games. That puts a major premium on pitching depth.

Duffy is thankful that his Patriots (13-2 overall, 1-0 league) are OK in that department. In addition to the squad's top two hurlers, junior Keenan Kish and senior Tim Vernon, he can hand the ball to at least four others, if necessary: junior Tommy Stolzer and sophomores Sean Cosgriff, Steve Connor, and Aaron Novak.

Kish, a hard-throwing righthander who has orally committed to Wake Forest, last pitched eight days ago, in a 4-3 home win over Chestnut Hill Academy. Duffy said the ace would get the start tomorrow, conditions permitting, at Episcopal Academy.

When asked if he would consider saving Kish, the scheduled starter yesterday against Malvern Prep, for next week and a stiffer Inter-Ac challenger, Duffy said, "I've always gone with the philosophy that if your No. 1 pitcher is ready, you go with him."

Because of yesterday's rainout, Frankford's home-and-home series against GAMP will be played on back-to-back days: tomorrow in South Philly, at Seventh and Packer Avenues, and Friday at Large and Dyre Streets.

Even if the weather cooperates today, the Pioneers (3-1 overall, 2-0 league) may be looking at a second straight indoor practice.

"Our field is tremendous," Namnun said, "but the one drawback is that it doesn't drain well. It's super flat. The infield is perfectly flat."

North Catholic's offensive leaders are sophomores Ryan Hires (.417, 10 RBIs, five runs, four doubles) and Mike Zolk (.370, eight runs, five RBIs), junior Ryan Etsell (.429, 11 runs, .600 on-base percentage), and seniors Bobby Hopkins (.381, eight runs) and Fred DiMascia (.381, five runs). Hopkins has fanned 18 batters in the same number of innings. Etsell has 22 K's in 19 innings.

For North Penn, quarterback-turned-outfielder Justin Davey is batting .429 with seven RBIs and four stolen bases. First baseman Scott Christy (nine RBIs) and shortstop Robbie Zinsmeister are hitting .471 and .400, respectively.

Germantown Academy brothers Sean and Tommy Coyle are batting .500 and .458, respectively. Sean Coyle, a junior second baseman, has belted three home runs.

Through five games, Springfield-Delco's Mike DeLaney is hitting .643 with five RBIs, five stolen bases, a .750 on-base percentage, and a .929 slugging percentage.